Envelop-delivery apparatus.



S. M. COFFMAN.

ENVELOP DELIVERY APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 28. 1913.

1,147,375. Patented July 20, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

s. M. COFFMAN. ENVELOP DELIVERY APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY2B,1913. 1,147,375.. Patented July 20,1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

SAMUEL M. COFFMAN, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOB TO COFFMAN MAN UFAC- TUBING COMPANY, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI, A CORPORATION OF NEVADA.,

ENVELOP-DEL IVERY APPARATUS.-

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented July 20, 1915.

Application filed May 28, 1913. Serial No. 770,364.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUnnM. COFFMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Kansas City,in the county of Jackson and State of Missouri, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Envelop-Delivcry Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to delivery apparatus and particularly to that class of machines in which the delivery mechanism is normally locked but may be released by the introduction of a coin into the machine whereupon the delivery mechanism may be operated by the customer.

My object is to provide an improved delivery mechanism for this type of machine adapted particularly for the delivery of envelops, as in the case where stamps are inclosed in envelops and placed in the magazine of the machine to be ejected one at a time by the delivery mechanism.

A further object lies in the provision of means whereby the delivery of the envelops will be insured regardless of which end of the envelop is placed over the discharge opening of the magazine.

With these objects in view the invention consists in certain novel and peculiar features of construction and organization as hereinafter described and claimed; and in order that it may be fully understood reference is tobe had to the accompanying draw-- ing, in which v Figure 1, is a vertical section through a machine embodying my improvements,-being taken along-the line II of Fig. 3. Fig. 2, is a front elevation of the lower portion of the machine. Fig. 3, is a horizontal section along the line-.IIIIII of Fig. 1, on an enlarged scale. tion along the line IVIV of Fig. 3. Fig. 5, is a section similar to that shown in Fig. 1 but on a larger scale, and showing only the lower portion of the magazine and the adjacent parts around the discharge opening of the case, the magazine, being illustrated in oscillated position. Fig.6, is a bottom perspective of the lower portion of the magazine. Fig. 7, is a sectional view similar to Fig. 5, but showing the relation of the parts when engaged with the sealed end of an envelop. y

In the said drawings, the frame of the machine comprises a bottom section 2, sup- Fig. 4, is a vertical sec-- porting a set of corner posts 4 between which are suitably fitted glass plates 6 forming the sides of the case. lVithin the bottom is a till 8 acting as a receptacle for-the coins introduced into the machine. 1

Near the top of the machine frame is a cross bar 10 from the rear side of which pro jects a stud 12 upon which is loosely hung the upper end of'a magazine 14: for the en'- velops 15 to be delivered. The magazine comprises a skeleton frame provided with a bottom rest 16 for supporting the envelops 15 with their ends, preferably flap ends,

overlying the dischargeopening 18 of the magazine, with the loose flaps 20 in position to engage the edge 22 of'a folded resilient plate 24? whenever the magazine is oscillated into the position shown in Fig. 5, the plate 24 being carried by a ledge 26 adjacent the beveled discharge opening 28 of the case.

As shown in Fig. 5, the plate 24: engages the flap of the lowermost envelop and holds the envelop in its forward position while the magazine swings rearwardly, the front margin 30 of the opening 18 being slightly beveled to allow the envelop to be pushedpast the same and at the same time extending low enough to guard againstthe overlying envelops being drawn out from the opening. The folded portion of the resilient plate is compressed out of its normalposition in Fig. 1, due to the'p'ressure thereon of the side margins 31 of the opening 18, but as. soon as the margin 30 has passed back over the edge 22 of the plate, the folded portion of the latter expands as indicated inv Fig. 5, thereby slightly curving the forward portion of the envelopabout the margin 30 and insuring absolutely the withdrawal of-but a single envelop from themagazine.

fVV-hen the magazine has reached the limit of its rearward movement, the rear end of the envelophas passed over and dropped in front of" the shoulder or step portion "32 formed in the upper surface of the bottom rest 18 of the magazine so that as the maga zine Starts to swing, forward the envelop cannot be pushed any farther backward than this shoulder. Inv this forward swinging movement therefore, the envelop is carried along with the magazine afterits rear end has been seated against said shoulder and asthe marginal portion 30 again meets the spring plate 2t,the folded portion of the latter is againcompressed so that the front and with its sealed flap presented for engagement by the edge 29 of the spring plate. This edge 22 will act etliciently to withdraw the envelop if in this position but the-forard portion of the envelop when withdrawn projects materially beyond the edge and it is necess .ry to providemeans for directing said forward portion toward the discharge opening when the magazine swings forward. To this end I secureto the magazine frame a pair of slightly curved leaf springs 3%, one adjacent each end of the margin 30 of the opening 18, the lower ends of the springs being held against the magazine by the case frame at approximately the samelevel as thebottom ofthe magazine when the latter is in forward position. These springs spread away from the magazine when thelatter'moves rearward so as to maintain an engaged relation with the envelop at points near the front end of the envelop while the latter is being withdrawn after which the springs cause the front end of the envelop to be gradual-1y forced downward as the magazine advances in order to direct the envelop toward and through the discharge opening 28,'as shown in Fig.

The magazine 1a is oscillated in order to effect the delivery operationby means of a shaft '36 carrying a crank '38 at its outer end, and a ratchet wheel 40 at'its inner end. I Une face of the wheel 4-0 is pro vided with a crank pin for mounting a pitman l-4i which is connected with an intermediate point on an oscillating arm 4'6 pivoted at 48 to the frame of the machine. To the upper end of the arm 46 is pivoted one end of a link 50 the other-end of which is pivoted to one-side of the magazine l t at 52.

The shaft is normallylocked by check controlled mechanism which does not form any part of the subject matter of this application but is made the-subject of a separate application, buttheparts of which mechanism and the operation thereof may, however, be briefly indicated as follows A coin tube at is supported in the frame of the machine in an. inclined position and is notched at 56 to receive one end of the detent 58 which has a finger 59 supported in the notch against the action of a spring 60 attached one end to the coin'tube. The other end of the detent is pivoted to a U- shaped locking dog 62 which is pivoted to a post 64 with its arms astraddle the shaft 36 in position to engage a pin 66 on the opposite face of. the ratchet wheel 40 from the pin 4L9, One arm of the dog is provided with a hook (38 for engaging the pin 66 to normally look the wheel, but on tripping of the detent by a coin introduced into the coin tube, the spring 60 pulls the cetent up, thereby disengaging the hook (3S and permitting the shaft to be rotated. "When the pin 66 engages the other arm of the dog 62,the latter is swung to restore the hook G8 to the path of said pin in position to relock the wheel and pull down on detent 58 to reengage the notch 56. The ratchet wheel lO is locked against backward rotation by a pawl 70 mounted on the post (3-1. A gravity dog 72 is pivotally mounted on the coin tube below the notch 56 with its upper end resting normally against the finger 59. lVhen the detent is tripped by a coin the lower end ofthe dog 2 is swung rearward into contact with bell 7 lto signalize the fact that the locking mechanism has been, released. A weight 76 is mounted in the magazine for the pin. pose of resting on the stack of envelops and insuring the proper engagement of the en velops with the spring plate 24-.

The manner of the operation of the machine has beensu'l'liciently indicated during the description thereof and will not require any further details of the same. It is understood that while I have illustrated the invention by means of one preferred form of the same, I do not restrict myself to the precise embodiment shown but reserve the right to all'changes and modifications falling Within thespirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim 1. In a delivering apparatus, a casing havinga front delivery opening, a magazine pivoted to swing toward and from said opening, said magazine having a bottom opening extending to the front side of the magazine, and means independent of the magazine'for exerting a yielding upward pressure 011/ the undermost envelop in the magazine through the bottom opening therc of and. adapted to. hold said envelop against material movement with the magazine when the same swings away'from the said delivery opening and thereby effect forward projection of said envelop part way from the mag-- azine and also-cflect the bending of the pro ject-ing end of the envelop upward around the lower end of the bottom edge of the front Wall of the magazine.

2. In a delivery apparatus, a casing having-a delivery opening, a magazine pivoted to swing from and toward said opening, said magazine having a bottom opening extend-- ing'tothe front side of; the magazine, means engaging the undermost envelop in the magazine through the bottom opening thereof and adapted to hold said envelop against material movement with the magazine away from the delivery opening and thereby effect forward projection of said envelop part way from the magazine, and means whereby the envelop is slid forwardly over said holding means until the free end of the envelop pro trudes through the delivery opening.

8. In a delivery apparatus, a casing having a delivery opening, a magazine pivoted to swing from and toward said opening, said magazine having a bottom opening extending to the front side of the magazine, means engaging the undermost envelop in the magazine through the bottom opening thereof and adapted to hold said envelop against material movement with the magazine away from the opening and thereby effect forward projection of said envelop part way from the magazine; the magazine having an internal forwardly-facing shoulder for engagement with the rear end of the envelop as the magazine attains its rearward limit of movement to apply endwise pressure on the rear end of the envelop through the for ward or return swing of the magazine until the front end of the partly projected envelop protrudes through the delivery opening of the casing.

4. In delivery apparatus, a pivoted magazine for holding envelops, said magazine having a bottom opening, means. for swinging said magazine on its pivot, and means for engaging the lowermost envelop in said magazine and curling one end thereof around the edge of said opening during the movement of the magazine.

5. In an envelop delivering machine, a pivoted magazine for holding the envelops, said magazine having an opening in its bottom, means for oscillating said magazine, and a compressed spring mounted adjacent said opening to engage the lowermost envelop and withdraw the front end of the envelop during the movement of the magazine, said spring being relieved of pressure during said movement to expand and our] said end of the envelop around the edge of said opening.

6. In an envelop delivering machine, a pivoted magazine for holding the envelops, said magazine having an opening in its bot tom, means for oscillating said magazine, and a spring member mounted adjacent said opening to'engage the lowermost envelop and withdraw the front end thereof during the movement of the magazine, said magazine engaging and compressing said spring member in its forward position and releasing the spring in its backward movement to allow the spring to expand and curl said end of the envelop around the edge of said opening.

7. In an envelop delivering machine, a pivoted magazine for holding envelops, said magazine having anopening in its bottom underlying the flaps of the envelops, means for oscillating said magazine, and a folded spring member mounted adjacent said open-' ing and having an edge portion extending into position to engage. the flap of the lowermost envelop and withdraw the front end of said envelop during the movement of the magazine, said magazine engaging and compressing said spring member in itsfforward position and releasing the spring in its backward movement to allow the springto expand and curl said end of the envelop around the edge of said opening.

8. In an envelop delivery apparatus, a casing having a delivery opening, a plate within and projecting rearwardly from the front wall of the casing at the lower end of said opening and provided with an upwardly and forwardly projecting resilient lip terminating some distance back of the front wall of the casing, a magazine pivoted within the casing and provided with a bottom opening extending to'the' front wall of the magazine, said magazine hanging adj acent the front wall of the casing and holding the resilient lip depressed with the front end of the lip projecting up into said bottom opening and bearing against the undermost envelop in the magazine, means for swinging the magazine rearwardly until the lower end of its front wall is'disposed rearwardly of the front end of said resilient lip to permit the latter to spring upwardly; said lip in the rearward movement of the magazine holding the undermost envelop therein against material rearward movement with the magazine as the latter swings rearward to effect the forward projection of the envelop part way from the magazine and to curl said projected end of the envelop upward around the lower edge of the front wall of the magazine, the magazine having,

a forwardly facing shoulder which is disposed by the complete rearward swing of the magazine back of the projecting envelop so that when the magazine swings forward, said shoulder shall apply endwise pressure on the envelop and cause the latter to swing forward also, the lower end of the front wall of the magazine at thesame time passing forwardly over and depressing said lip to permit the projecting opening of the envelop to straighten out so that it shall pass through the delivery end of the casingas the magazine attains its initial position.

9. In an envelop delivering machine, a pivoted magazine for holding envelops, said magazine having a bottom opening and said delivering machine having a discharge opening, means engaging the lowermost envelop in the magazine to hold sa1d envelop against movement during the backward movement of the magazine and curl the envelop around the edge of said bottom opening, and. means acting during the forward movement of said magazine to straighten the curved portion of said envelop and direct it toward said discharge opening.

10. In delivery apparatus having a discharge opening, a pivoted magazine for holding envelops, said magazine having a bottom opening, means for swinging said magazine on its pivot, means for engaging the lowermost envelop in the magazine to hold said envelop against movement during the backward movement of the magazine and curl the envelop around the edge of said bottom opening, and a pair of curved leaf springs carried by said magazine with their lower ends adjacent said bottom opening, said springs spreading away from the magazine during the backward movement of the latter and engaging the forward end of the envelop and adapted to be compressed against the side of the magazine during the advance of the latter to directthe envelop toward-the discharge opening.

11. In a delivery apparatus, a pivoted magazine having an opening in its bottom, and an internal shoulder to the-rear of said opening, means for swinging said magazine backward and forward, and a resilient lip normally engaging the undermost envelop through the opening in the bottom of the magazine and held yieldingly depressed and adapted to hold said engaged envelop against material rearward movement when the magazine swings'backward and thereby position the said shoulder to .therear of said envelop so that onthe forward swing of the magazine, said shoulder shall advance the said envelop and slide it forward over the said resilient lip.

In testimony whereof, I .Ll'llX my signature, in the presence of two witnesses.

SAMUEL M. COFFMAN.

'Witnesses:

CHAS. W; (human, 1 G. Y. jTHORPE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner oflatents, \Vashington, D. 0. 

